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Fitch Ratings says it does not expect the introduction of debt relief orders (DROs) in the UK to have an immediate impact on its ratings of UK credit card ABS transactions but reiterates its Negative Outlook for the sector in light of wider economic factors.

In February 2009 almost all the average MFI interest rates on new deposits and new loans were substantially lower than in the previous month.

In its 9th review of the European Union's trade policy, the World Trade Organisation has praised the EU for its instrumental role in strengthening the multilateral trading system and its leadership in the Doha Round of world trade talks. The WTO report highlights the EU's efforts to help integrate developing countries into the international trading system. The report recognises the progress made over the last two years in consolidating EU's Internal Market, and notes the benefits of EU's reformed Common Agricultural Policy. The WTO meeting takes place in Geneva on 6 and 8 April 2009.

In its third Report on Financial Integration in Europe, the European Central Bank (ECB) signals that there is a risk that the financial integration process in Europe will slow down as a result of the financial and economic crisis. This year’s report focuses on the impact of the financial crisis on the financial integration process. It notes that while significant progress in European financial integration has been made over a longer period of time, signs of retrenchment within national borders have recently emerged in certain financial market segments.

Euro area (EA15) GDP fell by 1.6% and EU27 GDP by 1.5% during the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with the previous quarter, according to second estimates from Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. In the third quarter of 2008, growth rates were -0.3% in both zones.

According to IPC Media, 74% of female Internet users in the UK went online every day last year.

In February 2009 compared with January 2009, the industrial producer price index fell by 0.5% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.3% in the EU27. In January, prices decreased by 1.1% and 0.7% respectively.

In February 2009, compared with January 2009, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.6% in the euro area (EA16) and by 1.2% in the EU27. In January retail trade rose by 0.1% and 0.7% respectively. In February 2009, compared with February 2008, the retail sales index decreased by 4.0% in the euro area and by 3.4% in the EU27.

The Commission has adopted a new regulation to improve the energy performance of external power supplies, which is expected to cut their electricity losses by nearly a third by 2020. The resulting savings of 9 TWh is enough to power Lithuania for a year and will reduce annual CO2 emissions by more than three million tonnes.

The global economic downturn has taken its toll on industries across the globe, and the mobile and wireless communications industry is no exception. In the European market, which is highly saturated and competitive, mobile network operators (MNOs) are in a survival of the fittest battle to maintain and expand their market share. On the fringes of this battle are new entrants, challenging established MNOs to stay in the game. The question is whether or not there is space for these new entrants in an established market, especially during these economic times, when smaller companies could be viewed as potential acquisition targets.